


Shields and Sacrifice

by powerdragonmoon



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Drabble, Marichat May, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 13:33:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10991964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/powerdragonmoon/pseuds/powerdragonmoon
Summary: A reveal—of sorts. After a particularly scary akuma attack Chat Noir visits Marinette to discuss her heroic and dangerous behaviour.





	Shields and Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> This is a oneshot for Marichat May - Day 24: I owe you one! (it’s not even funny how different this turned out from my original outline! But nevertheless I hope you enjoy!!) 
> 
> I also signed up for the prompt A Night on the Town, and I’m still working on it! Hope to finish that one off soon!!

“Marinette!”

She raised her head up from her hands at the panicked shout of her name, knowing exactly to whom the voice belonged to long before she turned and spotted him from beneath the shadows playing along her balcony in the evening light.

She offered him a weak smile, not quite able to voice any reply to his upset expression. Her lips trembled before she stubbornly bit down on them.

 _That was too close_. Tikki’s words echoed in the back of her mind as she thought back on the akuma attack—as she had been doing for most of the night.

Chat Noir seemed to catch her distress, his own face softening as he stepped forward, reeling in his baton and clipping it to his back. His bright green eyes glinted hypnotically and Marinette tried to focus on them—on anything, knowing she was in store for a discussion she did not want to have.

“Princess?” He whispered softly a hand reaching up to her face before he hesitantly drew it back, as if he was afraid she would vanish at his touch. If anything, that’s everything she wanted, to be touched by him and to disappear all at once. She wilted.

She stepped away from him until her back hit the railing; nearby her the flowers in the flower box shook.

“I—“ Chat paused, unsure of what to say, he looked away from her dulled blue eyes, missing the spark that was there the first time he saved her, the impish grins and teasing remarks she’d throw his way. His eyes bored into the roof before his face set into a hard grimace, his eyebrows furrowing under his mask. When he met her eyes one more, there was a controlled anger lurking beneath his neon eyes, tempered only by worry. “I told you to stay away. Why did you come back?”

Marinette pursed her lips. Her throat still burned, forcing her to be careful with her words. But even then the first thing to come to her head in retort slipped past her lips without a second thought, “After everything you’ve done for me?” She shrugged, unable to meet his intense stare. Her right hand crossed over her midsection to hold her other arm, a useless attempt to seem nonchalant, “I owed you one.”

He glared at her for the shortest of moments, but it was in that moment that Marinette had peeked back up at him, only to flinch away at his response.

“Marinette,” he began, looking down at her hand, “You owe me nothing…” He placed a clawed hand on his chest and continued, “This is my duty. To protect Paris and to keep everyone safe! What hap—”

She cut him off without even thinking, “But who protects you!” She yelled, a bit louder than necessary. Her scratchy voice burned as she squeezed her eyes shut. Marinette leaned forward, dropping both hands to her sides in assertive fists.

When she opened her eyes, she quickly realized how close to him she was. He stared down at her mystified and confused. Again he reached out to her, this time placing a hand that was meant to be comforting on her shoulder. She just felt the cold leather of his suit and she refrained herself from shrugging away.

“I have Ladybug,” he replied, “She’s my partner, she looks out for me.”

“She wasn’t there!” Her eyes began to sting.

“She got there eventually, Marinette! You didn’t need to put yourself in danger. It wasn’t safe!”

She scoffed, “Oh please! I’ve seen you! You willingly throw yourself in front of an attack! You put yourself in danger all the time!”

“Because I have to! Marinette, you can’t just do things like that! I took you away from the akuma for a reason!”

“Just cause you have a fancy ring doesn’t mean you’re invincible! What would have happened if I wasn’t there?!” Her voice was rising again; she couldn’t care less about the pain in her throat. She had done plenty of screaming today.

“What would have happened if you got hit?” He challenged.

“But I didn’t!”

He stepped closer. “But you could have!”

She raised her hands up, waving them in exasperation. “It’s not like this is the first time!”

Chat Noir jerked back, as if he’d been slapped, before he looked away, “The Evillustrator plan was not my idea…” he whispered under his breath.

“And Princess Fragrance? Anti-Bug? Who planned those?”

Chat stared at her in confusion, his mouth popping open but no words escaping.

“I—“ he began, his gaze on her intensified as if he were seeing her for the first time. Marinette leaned back suddenly afraid she’d said too much. “What?”

“It’s nothing, never mind,” she huffed, hugging her arms to herself and looking anywhere but at his eyes. She focused on his hand, watching in regret as it tightened into a fist.

“Marinette…?”

She closed her eyes, shaking her head from side to side. She hated this. She hated not being able to tell him he saved her more times then she could count—as Marinette and as Ladybug. A single tear escaped, running down her cheek. She grimaced. 

This time, the touch of his glove felt warm, smooth, and comforting. She felt the soft caress of his palm on her face as his thumb brushed away the stray tear.

Her eyes opened as more tears joined the fray, and while she was mad at herself for having such a reaction, she couldn’t help but feel relieved. His other hand reached up to hold her face swiping away any offending tear across her freckled cheeks.

“You’re my friend Marinette. I just want you to be safe.” 

She couldn’t help but feel the same way, but finding the words didn’t come to her quite as easily, because to her, he was so much more then just a friend. He was her partner; he just didn’t realize it was her standing right there in front of him.

So instead she brought a hand up to his on her cheek, leaning into his open palm. She felt his lips on her forehead and the touch warmed her soul, burning at the guilt in her gut. 

When he leaned back, they shared twin, tentative smiles before simultaneously saying, “I’m sorry.” Both of their eyes widening in shock at each other, a beat of silence being all that was left between them. 

And then he laughed; an innocent, gentle laugh that reminded Marinette of the soft pitter-patter of rain. It was contagious and even through her tears she joined him with a giggle of her own. 

“Looks like I may be the one who owes you, Princess.” 

He reached an arm around her, pulling her into a warm embrace.

She couldn’t find the words to tell him he was wrong, she owed him so much more then he realized. There were things she wanted—needed—so badly to tell him, but for now, she made due with the welcoming hug he offered her. She took a shaky breath, relaxing into his hold, her arms wrapping around his waist.

“Thank you,” she felt his breath against her cheek as he whispered in her ear.

She replied without a moment's pause, “Thank you.”

 

 


End file.
